This is the part of winter I find the hardest. Snow is no longer a pretty surprise (if it ever really was), but instead a regular inconvenience. While my house is nicely insulated and comfortable, I grow weary of having to spend so much time indoors. Alas, I don't have the tolerance for cold that Colleen enjoys, so the result is that I get a bad case of cabin fever starting about mid-February and lasting until the earth wakes up with that particular warming dirt smell it has here in the Midwest. A couple of months off, that is, so instead, I shall keep myself amused by writing and reading dark tales here.
The winner this week is Foxxglove with her tale of bloodthirsty ambition, Fiddle-Dee-Dee. Thank for your sharing that delightfully dark story!
Honorable mention goes to David Barber, whose Untitled tale of an unknown assailant was chilling indeed. Welcome back, David!
And now for the words I hope will spark more great stories from you all:
Comparison
Express
Responsible
The usual rules apply: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash
fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of
horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as
always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine.
Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or
whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your
friends that we are open to new and returning writers.
You have until Friday, February 13th (oooh, spooky!). Winners and words on Saturday, February 14th (also spooky, in a different way!).
The Gates are Open!
Congratulations Foxxglove and welcome back indeed David - you're the one who taught me serials!
ReplyDeleteAnd this week's words promising indeed.
Thanks, Sandra. I doubt mine lasted as long as yours did, though. x
Deletecongrats, Foxxglove, knew you had this in you! Just taken you a while to acknowledge it.
ReplyDeleteDavid, SO good to see you here again and with this really dark story, too. Congrats!
All the entries this week were brilliant (so the Captain says anyway) and he and I are looking forward to tackling the words soonest. I keep saying that but he's busy sailing and doesn't come visiting as often as I would like. Others do, but I don't happen to be writing their serial...
This week's award for the perfect shop assistant goes to the young girl in All Seasons. History: George duke of Clarence came to me on the 15th July 2005. On the 17th February 2006, I ordered flowers to go to his tomb in Tewkesbury Abbey. His execution date is the 18th Feb. We walked out of there in floods of tears. No one had ever sent flowers to his tomb. To offset that, though, the night before he spent half an hour working out what he wanted on the card, everything from 'departed this life with a little help from his brother the king' to outright 'killed at the King's command' neither of which I though the Abbey would appreciate...I have been sending flowers every year since and I supply the Abbey with booklets on the duke to sell to visitors.
So... for the past few years it's been the same assistant, who says 'oh, has a year gone round already?' this time it was a young girl who wrote down that the flowers were to be placed against the tomb of George, duke of Clarence with the words on the card reading: In memory of George, Duke of Clarence,
Departed this life 18th February 1478
Requiescat In Pace.
and didn't blink once in surprise or anything.
!!!!!!!!
Perfect ignorance? Or fear of expressing it? I didn't know where he was buried, though - thank you.
Delete'the customer is always right' syndrome, I think! she did it well.
DeleteWOW! Thank you so much. It was a last minute rush job but the vote of confidence is inspiring. Been working hard on a novel of late but do enjoy/miss The Prediction. I will try harder to take part more often. Thank you... x
ReplyDeleteI must apologize for my lack of commentary on last week's entries. I don't know what happened to the days -- they simply ran away with me. Although I will offer a rather lengthy dental procedure/recovery process as part of my excuse. In any event, I will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again and would like to extend my congratulations to David on his most worthy Honorable Mention. I can't believe I rose to the top this week and will relish the victory while it lasts. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI loved your snippet about the Duke of Clarence, Antonia. Isn't he the one who was supposedly drowned in a barrel of Malmsey?
supposedly is right, he was actually drowned in a bath. Only one historian says this and he confirmed it.
DeleteI asked if he was going to his brother's funeral next month. He said 'o, he didn't come to mine.' I really do work with some utterly daft spirits!
Do feel better soon, Patricia! And please, never feel like you need to apologize for being too busy to come and play or comment! We all have times when that happens!
ReplyDeleteDay One of Travel [Threshold 54]
ReplyDeleteIt was rare for me to be considered responsible, yet the Cider-maker’s father evidently viewed me so. Perchance my newly-maternal state, albeit reluctant – babe nought but encumbrance in comparison with desire for Ravenscar – dusted me with adultness.
Two horses though!
Expressing gratitude as I once had milk, we rode into the dawn.
By sunset my pretence of knowledge had wore thin; Phelim the cider-maker’s son’s – of insouciance – evaporated, ‘You’re lost!’
‘We are. We’ll stay here tonight. Gather information.’
‘Here’ a less-than-enticing Bridge House; mediocre food, separate rooms, but when I returned to mine I found someone waiting in the shadows.
this is outright delicious, 'dusted me with adultness.' Says it all. Loved this instalment.
DeleteEnjoying the story. Nice and succinct, and of course loved the 'dusted with adultness'.
DeleteWho? Who is "waiting in the shadows"? This is wonderfully suspenseful.
DeleteA change of focus [117]
ReplyDeleteDCI Quintain’s face bore comparison to the breakfast she’d refused – semi-circle of black pudding beneath each poached egg eye, streaked bacon and a tumble of chopped mushroom curls.
She’d summoned DI Pettinger into her office.
Looking her over, ‘Hope you weren’t so irresponsible as to drive yourself –‘
‘Dedication, John –‘
‘Be one in the paper – “To the memory of” if you’re not careful –’
‘And you’ll be directing traffic –‘
‘It’s Edward Cherrystone’s funeral this afternoon.’
‘You going?’
‘Chance to nick the daughters.’
Eyebrows expressed doubt, ‘You think they’ll be there?’
‘They’re arrogant enough.’
‘Don’t come back without them.’
What an image for DCI Quintain's face - I won't look at breakfast the same way again. Again, a nice tight piece.
DeleteYuk...black pudding! This was so intriguing in its dialogue and visuals. These cliffhangers are killing me!
Deletebrilliant instalment full of visual images that will linger... hurry with the next instalment!
DeleteLe Roi Le Veut
ReplyDelete(By: Foxxglove)
(93 Words)
She was young and vibrant and very afraid but determined to meet her fate with dignity. She was not entirely responsible for her list of transgressions but, like so many others before, she would be obliged to pay the price anyway.
Her express desire was to be considered in a favorable light when compared to her courageous cousin and so, little Katherine spent her final hours perfecting the manner in which she would lay her neck upon the bloodstained block while awaiting a hopefully swift stroke of the axe by Henry's appointed executioner.
Ha! Royal deaths obviously this week's theme. Such a smooth use of the prompts that I had to re-read twice. Lovely opening sentence.
ReplyDeleteNice. Short and poignant. Makes you want to know more and hope she cheats the executioner's axe.
DeleteMichael, this is Kathryn Howard, Henry VIII's 5th wife caught in adultery and executed at a very young age. No cheating the king's executioner, my liege lord would never permit it! She practised laying her head on the block over and over again, I think she thought it would help settle her agonising fears.
DeleteLovely piece, Patricia, I've written Kathryn's side in a story entitled Blood On The Rose. It makes for poignant reading, as does this snashop of Tudor life.
I know, but one can change history if one's a writer? I just didn't want her to die.
Deleteyou can, one writer rewrote history with Richard III winning at Bosworth, which was good but this, I feel, was strictly history, Patricia had the whole heartbreak of Kathryn's all-too-soon death. I looked into my 'portal' to see how Henry met her - the whole thing contrived by the Howards, of course. My liege lord didn't stand a chance, he was smitten from the word go. The Howards almost got what they wanted... so close... so underestimating the power of love between their pawn and her hapless lover.
DeleteThis may be the start of something...
ReplyDeleteThe Ripper
He tried to make the comparison but couldn't see it.
"Look at the marks around her neck," I said, "they're the same as ..."
"Look son, strangulation marks are usually the same."
Frustration was rising like bile and I couldn't hold it for much longer. Sometimes you had to express yourself in a different way to get somewhere.
"Sir, do you want to be responsible for another murder?"
"How dare you ... do you know who you're speaking to?"
"Yes, sir, I do. But you're making a big mistake. This is definitely the work of The Ripper."
.....to be continued.
Oh good!!
ReplyDeleteCertainly a good start for a story and great use of the prompts.
DeleteI do hope this IS continued 'cos I for one can't wait to read more.
Deletelooking forward to the next instalment, David, you captured the men's attitudes so well here.
DeleteI have decided to toss my hat into the ring of a continuing story. We'll see how it goes!
ReplyDelete------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cripplegate Junction/Part 1 -- Clive Bailey
(By: Foxxglove)
(99 Words)
As the engine chugged to a halt, Clive Bailey lowered his newspaper and peered through the window of the carriage. This was an unusual occurrence. The train was an express and not scheduled to make any stops. Irritation invaded his face. He would now be late for his appointment with the Board, where he was responsible for delivering the annual report of assets, liabilities and the comparison of same to the accountings of competitors.
"You there," he called to the conductor on the platform. "Why have we stopped?"
"Cripplegate Junction, sir," came the brisk reply. "End of the line."
Where will this go? The start of a story and getting to know the character of Clive Bailey. Seamless use of the prompts.
DeleteThis serial lark is addictive! And what a deliciously, no doubt deceptively quiet beginning. I love 'brisk reply'
Deleteoh yes, where is this going, the train's going nowhere, but where is Clive off to? What fate awaits him? so many questions from one short piece. Go write the next part as soon as you can!
DeleteBig Deal
ReplyDelete‘It’s easy to make a comparison. You say this big,’ he held his arms a metre apart, ‘while she says only half that.’
‘She lies!’ he spat.
‘Come now, she’s allowed to express an opinion.’
‘No, you’re taking her side. And it was her goat.’
‘Mr Grinch, you will only do your case harm. I’m the responsible person, an impartial judge and I take no sides.’
‘Split the animal open and you’ll see.’
‘Come, come, Mr Grinch, it’s not the end of the world. There’s always next year’s marrow competition.’
And another well set up deception, with a subtle gruesomeness in ‘Split the animal open and you’ll see.’
DeleteOh, how you had me fooled on this one! I'm thinking, no..don't split any animal open and then...punch line central. It was a marrow. LOL. This was delicious and utterly delightful.
Deletewonderful deception! Loved this piece of argumentative gardeners fighting over something that for us is trivial but for them is life and death!
Delete87.
ReplyDeleteIn comparison with last week, First Mate been much better; no coldness, no expressing his unwanted opinions on anything from meals to weather. He be acting like a responsible sailor and that bothers this cap’n no end, for what be going on there? Sudden change of demeanour baint in his character.
Even more worrying is the fact the Creature is restless. Somehow I have to beach Infinity somewhere and let the thing loose so it can ravage whatever island we lands at. That’s not going to be easy… but oh, it would be calming if I were rid of it.
He growls so, this Captain, in his solitary authority. I can visualise his fist on the table clenching and unclenching, the other holding a pewter tankard of ale.
DeleteI was wondering if the Cap'n would put in an appearance this week. I'm so glad he did, despite the fact that he seems to be a little on the grumpy side. Your continuance of this tale is nothing less than masterful.
DeleteI do appreciate the Captain. The story grows well as the prompts seamlessly become the story. What does the monster do when loose on an island? That would make a terrifying instalment.
DeleteGood evening, my loves. That's the game for this week. The Gates are Closed! See you tomorrow with winners and words!
ReplyDelete